SPLEEN is the personal blog of Stephen Judd

an old standby

The other night I made this recipe for the umpteenth time and realised that not only did I have no idea where I got it, but that in all probability I invented it. So allow me to present:

The Good Old Red White and Green

(Which happen also to be the colours of the flags of Bulgaria, Equatorial Guinea, Hungary, Kuwait, Niger, Oman, Madagascar, Suriname, India, Tajikistan, Iran and Kurdistan. Let us now praise flag-crazed nerds. But I digress.)

You require:

Half a red pepper

One small onion

A quarter of a cabbage

A large splash of olive oil

Enough salt

Thinly slice all ingredients, but keep them separated for now. They will get to know each other better soon enough.

Find a saucepan or pot with a decent lid, and heat the oil to a low-medium heat. Cook the onion gently for a couple of minutes, until transparent. Then add the sliced pepper, and cook for another couple of minutes. Last, add the cabbage, and stir thoroughly.

Add a little water, perhaps a couple of tablespoons. (Less if you washed the cabbage, more if it's not so fresh or if you like a little saucy liquid). Put the lid on and wander off for ten minutes. The idea is that the cabbage steams rather than stir fries, so keep the heat low.

Provides a tasty serving for two to four people, depending on appetite and the other dishes.